Dance With Me
by Random Slytherin 1
Summary: On the eve of their final Yule Ball, Harry gets an unexpected (though not unwanted) invitation to dance. Much fluff and cuteness. *DM/HP*


This one is dedicated to Cheng, who reads everything I write, and likes it all. ^^; And to Rebecca, the first of us to leave, because I promised her that I would write again. You guys are great--It makes me feel all happy and squishy inside to know that I have fans, even if they're friends, because those are the best kind. ^-^

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Disclaimer: I don't own anyone...Probably don't even own the idea, but I used it, so there!! I do, though, own the really awesome _Gravitation_ CD that got me through most of this fic. ^^ I had a really strong urge to insert the lyrics to 'In the Moonlight' in here, but I didn't want to make it a songfic. x.x

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Rating: PG, just to be safe, though I'm sure it could really be G...I don't know. ^^;

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Spoilers: Nope! ^-^ Perfectly clean.

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Warning: Mild shounen ai/slash. You know, two pretty boys making with the kissy-kissy. If you don't like that sort of this, what on earth are you doing reading one of *my* fics?? Also, much fluff. Get ready: squishy feelings ahead!

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Archive: Take it, take it! ...Erm, just tell me first though, ok?

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Send your love and naked Slytherins to: RandomSlytherin@Yahoo.com _or _Slytherin_Dragon@HPWizardPost.zzn.com

Ok, and...go! ^-^

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Dance With Me

"Dance with me."

"Excuse me?" Emerald eyes blinked; he'd turned down the same offer several times that night, though none had asked so bluntly, and none had been *this* person.

"I said 'dance with me.' This is the Yule Ball, intended for dancing. You've come without a companion, and though you have clearly been asked several times, you have yet to dance a single song. I am now requesting that you dance with me, and this time I will not take 'no' as an answer." A pale, slender hand was held out, waiting impatiently to be taken. 

"I've not said 'no' to a dance with you before. Mostly because you have not asked me before. And what makes you think that I would agree to dance with you anyway? I may have a perfectly good reason for not dancing." It was a lie; there was no reason for not dancing other than the fact that he was completely miserable. He was able to start the second semester of his Seventh year; after that, he would have to go out into the world on his own and become a real person. He was scared and unready, and a school dance was, in his mind, the last thing that he needed. 

"The only reason you have for not dancing with me is that you dislike me, and normally the feeling is more than mutual. However, in this moment, I wish to set aside all ill will and dance with the most attractive-if not annoying-boy in the school." 

A crimson flush danced across pale cheeks, "I'm surprised that you, of all people, are not trying to deny me that unwanted title. My fame won me that title, not my looks... But if all ill will is truly set aside for now, then I suppose that if I must dance, it might as well be with the second most attractive boy in school."

"Most attractive. Remember, your fame won you the first rank, but my looks clearly surpass yours." The pale hand was extended a bit further, as if it were demanding to be received.

"Yes, of course. How could I forget?" A slow, shy smile spread across his face as he took the hand in his. It was soft and smooth, and he thought that, perhaps, he might like to hold it again some time soon, if at all possible. To the great surprise of all around them, and for reasons unbeknownst to all, Harry Potter allowed Draco Malfoy to lead him to the middle of the crowded dance floor.

Around them everything stopped; people stopped dancing, talking came to an abrupt halt, and even the music, which had been DJed by Professor Lupin (who had come back to teach the previous year) was put on hold. Everyone knew of the rivalry between these two boys, and yet, here they stood before them all, holding each other shyly and waiting for the music to begin again. The boys stood motionless, waiting silently for the music to pick up aging. 

Despite his previous arrogant and assuming behaviour, Draco held his arms around Harry's waist gently and hesitantly, as if the raven-haired boy were some ephemeral thing that would, at any moment, flicker and fade away. He had given up more than the chance for a date with any of the pretty girls that had asked him to the Ball, or even just his reputation. His pride was on the line, as was his heart, confused as it may have been. All depended on this one dance, and he tiny flickering chance that, perhaps, just perhaps, Harry Potter didn't quite hate him so much after all.

He shot a glare towards Lupin at the front of the room, which held the promise of unpleasantness if the music did not start soon. To Draco's relief, a new song was put on, a bit more up-tempo than he would have wished, but slow enough that he could keep his treasure within his embrace. 

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Silently Harry allowed himself to be lead almost reverently around the floor of the Great Hall by his once-archrival. If asked that morning if he would have liked even one innocent dance with the blonde boy, he would have laughingly said 'no' and shaken it off as he was supposed to, though haunted green eyes would have begged silently to tell something different. Now, under the watchful gaze of his entire school, Harry could not remember a time where he had felt more at peace. 

It was silly, he knew, to hold to himself so dearly something so simple as a mere dance, and one with Draco Malfoy, at that. _His skin is so soft, like silk, but even nicer... _Gently shaking hands clasped behind Draco's neck just where soft skin met softer hair as they moved across the floor. Years of using their Seeker skills to the fullest made them a most graceful and lovely pair, each acutely in tune with the others movements without truly thinking about they were doing. 

Draco was vaguely aware of hundreds of eyes watching their every move and, truth be told, he could really not have cared less. In his arms was the prize he had been seeking to win for over two years, received at the simple cost of three small words. They might not have been the only 'three small words' that he could have mouthed to the raven haired boy, but anything else would have been more than Harry or even he himself could have handled at the moment. '_Live for the day and seize every moment as if it were your last...' _He pulled the other boy closer, holding him tightly and praying to every god that he knew that Harry would continue not to turn him down. It had hurt once when his friendship had been refused; to be refused now would be worse than a thousand slow deaths. _I want you til it hurts me, and I need you like the air I breathe. Please don't hate me now..._

It must have been a joke, he thought, a cleverly designed and executed joke to make him appear a fool in front of the entire school. But if it was a joke, why did he feel so safe, so warm? Why had he, of all people, been chosen to dance with this person whom he was supposed to hate, who was supposed to hate him? Harry had to admit, he had never truly hated Draco--disliked him, sure, but never hate. And within the past year or so, his feeling towards the blonde had grown increasingly...fond. But why was he being held so gently, being moved so carefully, as if they were old lovers? 

Their bodies moved together in ways they should not have been able to do; each move was perfectly calculated, perfectly executed, as if they had been dancing together for years. If people were still looking at them, they did not notice, nor did they care to. They danced slowly not to the music around them, but to an inner tune they both seemed to be able to hear, but refused to share. 

"You do realize, don't you, that after this night, we will never hear the last of this, correct?" Draco leaned down ever so slightly to place his mouth beside Harry's ear, warm breath gusting over the sensitive flesh.

Harry nodded minutely, "I know. Which is part of the reason why I'm still not sure why you asked me to dance." He lay his head gingerly on Draco's shoulder, afraid that he might be pushed aside and laughed at at any moment. "I assume that you already have a plan? Or was this a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing?"

"I did have something in mind..." The song had long since ended and melted into a fast-paced beat, but they continued to hold each other close and move slowly, speaking in soft whispers for their ears only. "If I asked you for a kiss now," he murmured, rather than giving his plan, "Would you hurt me?"

The offer stood clear, and the double meaning was caught; all that remained was the acceptance...or the refusal. Suddenly numb hands clutched tightly at Draco's shoulders, "I...would. If it were not returned."

Tentative acceptance offered, and two hearts put on the line; his last play of the round was up. Pale lips moved slowly next to Harry's ear, "Please don't hurt me..."

"Please don't hate me..." Emerald and silver eyes alike slid shut as lips pressed to lips, flesh to flesh. It was not love, they both knew, but...something. Something very deep, very there and very real.

Their first kiss was soft, explorative, but underneath there lie a need, a hunger that neither could ignore. It spurred them on, making them cling tightly to the other as a life line, as years of pent up anger, passion, and emotions best left unnamed burst forth in one fluid motion. What began as a shy meeting of lips quickly escalated into a burning inferno that threatened to consume them both. When they finally broke the kiss, moving only far enough for air, there was silence. And then...

Applause.

Wild cheering and shouts of approval rang out loudly from the students, and even a few of the teachers. Twin blushes coloured their cheeks as they struggled for breath, silently gaping at each other. "Well...was this part of your plan?"

"Not exactly. To tell the truth, the closest thing I had to a plan was for the two of us to run off tonight and elope, assuming you didn't kill me first...or the other way around. But, I think," Draco clutched the back of Harry's robes nervously, "That this is a start."

"A start to something that you'll see though? ...Or to something you'll play with until you get bored, then toss away?" He eyed the blonde warily; even in light of what had happened that night, one does not easily forgive and forget almost seven years of mistreatment.

"Until the end," Draco whispered, stealing a soft kiss. "Until we both know that it's time." A small smile played over his lips, though it was genuine. "If you don't hurt me, I won't hate you. And if you agree...I want to keep you."

Harry nodded slowly, "If you don't hate me, I won't hurt you." 

A silent agreement passed between them. There would be no eloping, not for a while, anyway, and perhaps there may never be love...perhaps there would be. But, until then, they danced.

Owari! ^-^

8.13.02

Yay yay yay!! I did it! I did it! It was short, but...I did it! I wrote an entire fic, start to finish in just two days. (Does it only count as one, since I started it at 1am last night?) My muses are definitely back and inspiring me in full force. XD 

Sorry if it was a bit overly-squishy...I really have been wanting to write something like that for a while. Most of my stuff is so angsty... But I've read so many wonderfully squishy fics that pull at my heart and make it hurt...So I wanted to try for that to give back to everyone else. Hope it worked. T-T

Also...I had to use WordPad, meaning no spellchecker. Please forgive me. .-. I'll try not to let it happen again. I went through the fic about six times though...hopefully I caught most of the errors. If not, tell me!! XO

If you know anything about the anime _Gravitation_, and more specifically, the OAVs, the songs playing in my head for this fic were 'In the Moonlight,' a slow yet really powerful ballad sung off the top of his head by Shuuichi for Yuki in the second OAV, (though how Hiro and Fujisaki knew the music, I'll never know) and then 'Shining Collection,' a really super-fast up-beat bouncy thing (with not-so-up-beat lyrics) sung by Ryuuichi-sama, also from the second OAV. ^^ On the CD that I have, they play right after each other, so it worked. ^^; If you haven't seen _Gravi_ I suggest you go do it right now! Even if you're not an anime fan, its got really pretty boys kissing other rally pretty boys!! XD And its funny!! XD Sadly, its only 13 episodes, plus 2 OAVs...but volume 12 of the manga comes out at the end of this month!! Yay!!

I want to say Thank You to...everyone. To everyone who reads my fics (especially those who review! I love you guys!!) And to anyone and everyone who writes Harry/Draco fics. Kisses and chocolate-covered Slytherins to you all! You guys were the ones that pulled me out of my slump. I'd been so depressed; I had no computer for more than a month, which meant no reading fics. No reading fics means no writing fics. T-T That's just the way I am. So, in a way, you guys are my muses. Thank you. ^^ 

I also want to say a special Thank You to Michelle, who always bugs me to write more, and keeps me supplied with lovely fanart, mostly drawn from my fics. (Ne ne, can I scan in the pretty Lucius/Harry pic you did for me? I want to show the world!!) And to Rebecca, who is such a great friend, and actually went through almost every fic I've ever written within just a few days. That's quite a task--there were...close to 200. x.x The day before she left for college I promised her I'd write again, so here it is. ^^ Enjoy your two weeks without a roommate, and good luck to the both of you. I love you guys. T-T

-=Keiran Shea=-

-Random Slytherin

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